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Hot Topic Social Media and Emergency Management
Imagine sitting in your house during a severe thunderstorm. Lightening is popping, thunder is cracking and you hear the Emergency Warning Sirens blaring. To make matters worse, your power goes out. Now you can't turn on your television for weather updates and you forgot to change your batteries in your radio and they are dead. You are sitting in the dark and wondering what's next. Then your cell phone alerts you to a new text message. The text warns you that a funnel cloud has been spotted and advises you to seek shelter immediately. Another text comes through warning about downed power lines and road closures.
This isn't just a possibility, this is reality. Social media is now becoming a powerful tool for emergency response agencies. During a recent severe thunderstorm, Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) through Twitter, tweeted information about power outages and tornado watches in order to alert the public. "It's a trend of the times. It's the way to keep up to date not only with friends and family, but as to what's going on around you," said Clayton Scott, Director of Chatham Emergency Management Agency.
CEMA is one of many emergency management agencies across the country using social media to help disseminate information. "As an entity we have to maximize communication abilities to make sure we are reaching as many residents as possible," said Scott. Last month, using Twitter, CEMA emergency managers were able to send real time information about parts of Broughton Street being closed after a car accident caused damage to a restaurant. "Within minutes of learning about the accident, we were able to disseminate information alerting residents to avoid that area of Downtown Savannah," said CEMA Assistant Director Dennis Jones.
According to a recent online survey conducted by the American Red Cross of more than a thousand participants, half would sign up for emails and text alerts to get emergency information. One in six is already using social media to get real time information regarding emergencies. "We have to keep our finger on the pulse of evolving technology," said Scott.
CEMA has a Facebook and Twitter account, along with a website where information about events and emergencies is going out almost instantaneously. Even if you don't have a Twitter account or tweet often, you can follow CEMA if you have a cell phone. Just send a text message to 40404 and in the message space type follow ChathamEMA. "Information dissemination is the key to community preparedness," said CEMA Emergency Management Specialist Jennifer Rodriguez.
The evolution of social media is a two way street and response agencies can rely on residents to help spread information. The Red Cross survey found half of respondents would post mentions about emergencies on their individual media channel. Respondents can also provide agencies like CEMA or police departments with information about damage assessment in their area or where help is needed. More than half of respondents polled said they would send a text to a response agency if someone needed help, and more than two thirds polled think response agencies should regularly monitor postings on their social media sites.
CEMA is continuing its push by encouraging more residents to take advantage of social media outlets. Follow CEMA on Facebook and sign up to follow ChathamEMA on Twitter.
One thing to keep in mind while riding the technology wave, CEMA and other agencies will not neglect those who are not using social media sites. The American Red Cross survey found 89 percent of younger people make more use of social media, verses only 65 percent of people aged 35 and over. "This is the present and the future for certain generations, but there are other generations that still rely on good old fashion media such as radio and television," said Scott. With that, when emergencies do threaten the area, information will still flood the airwaves, just as it will cyberspace.
